Jailed Algerian journalist starts hunger strike before trial

ALGIERS, Algeria – Algerian journalist Mohamed Tamalt has started a hunger strike after being jailed near Algiers.

Tamalt's brother, Abdelkader, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the journalist, who lives in London, had arrived in Algeria on June 23 and has been jailed since Monday after a prosecutor issued a ban forbidding him from leaving the country.

Talmat's trial will take place on Monday. His brother says Talmat is accused of "insulting" Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in articles published by the Essiak El Aarabi online newspaper and on his Facebook page.

His arrest came as three other people with links to a satirical show on private television KBC have been jailed. In a rally Friday evening, dozens of intellectuals and artists gathered in Algiers to call for their release.